Mechanical toy



June 8 ,'1926.

C. A. WETZELL MECHANICAL TOY Filed April 23. 1923 M1 www Patented June 8, 1926.

UNITED, STATE. S

CLARENCE A. WETZELI., or STERLING, ILLINOIS.

MECHANICAL mor.

Application filed April 23, 19.23. SeralvNo. 633,917.

binations `tending to increase the generaly ehiciency and the desirability of a mechanical toy of this particular character.

To the foregoing and other useful ends the invention consistsin matters hereinafter set forth vand claiined and shown in the accompanying drawings inwhich Figure 1 is a plan of a mechanical toy embodying the principles of the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of said toy.

Figure 3 is a plan view showing the trailer in positionbehind the toy vehicle. v

Figure l is a side elevation of the toy as shown in Figure 3.

As thus illustrated, the invention coniprises a support orchassis 1 having'a slot 2 at the front end thereof for the single wheel 8, and having its rear end provided with an axle l carried by the wheels 5, these wheels being of any suitable character. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the box body 6, which may forin the trailer, as hereinafter explained, is secured to the support 1 by a single screw 7, and has its under side provided with a transverse bolster 8 which engages the rear of the support 1 to help position the box on the support. The front end of the box or body 6 has a screw` eye 9 inserted therein. The rear end'of said box has aeouple of` spare wheels 10 heldin placethereon by a single screw 11, in the manner shown.

lThe .forward Portion Qf the toy has e fixed cylindric portion 12 fornis the bedy or torso of the toy figure. The upper end of the cylindric lbody 12 hasy a round head 13, and Ais provided with outstretched arms 14 riveted @il th 'bdi et l the .hafClS 16 of the arms havingaspac'er v17 between theni. A wire 18 extends downward from the Spacer. 1-7 'te th. support" 1, t0 hold'ihe arnis in raised and' outstretched positionl other is" down.

tion 19 which is pivoted on the side of the body 12 at 20, and the section 21 whichl is pivotedon thesection`19 atI 22, thefeet 234 being `disposedat eachside of the forward portion ofthe support 1 of the toy," so

that the legs are at opposite '.sides of,

theslot`2 of the projecting front end portion of the body-like suppor'ay It will be seen that the single wheel 3 has a crank axle 241, the two cranks being disposed oppositely, so that whenone crank is up'the These twov cranks arek engaged by the feet 23`of theto'y figure, so that when one foot is down" the 4other'is up. A string`25 may be attached "tothe front endv ofthe toy, ahead of thefront wheels, to 'propel'it along thefloor. This 'operates the Aarticulated legs of the figure, and the ef` fect yis that ythe figure` has the'k appearance of propelling the'toy, just asa bfoyriding a ve'locipede. i

Now to change the toy, and to bring the trailer into positionbeliind the" Wheel Vsupportl, a'll that is necessary is to simply reinove the screws 7 `and11, andto. remove the box 6 from th'esupport. The screws 7 and 11 are then inserted throug'ghY the spare wheels lO'and 4into the'screw1 holes 26 in the ends of the bolster'8, as shown in 'Figures 3 and d, so that the two 'wheels are thus secure'din placeto support the box 6 on `the floor. "Then the screw eye'9 is coupled to the hook 27 on the rear end ofthe support 1, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, and the toy is then ready for operation with the trailer in position behind. Thus the two screws 7 and 11 serve the double function of holding the box and spare wheels'in position, and of forming 'axles for the sparewheels when the trailer-is in position behind the toy.

vItwill be understood that the parts can all be inade of'woo'd, `for vother suitable material, except the cranks 24 and themscrews and other' portions whichI can be inade of virire or @thermal-f Th 'for isf a'siy'wnvjeinble into similar: as shown, and' fisfesiiy' festpored to the` condition yshown Figures 1 and V2, 'in a iiianner that4v lwillA readily undi .i mail L, Wth'the exception Of ,the screw-,S 7 and 1i it. :will be geen that uit mentent-ies for fconvertinguthe bodyfi` into a trailer are inoperative"while the `body 'is Lin" osition o' newmedia@ fi-i: Whale@ 1 are site senr 'n place, and the screw 11 functions to support the two wheels 10 on the rear end of the body. The connecting means 9 on the front end of the body are inoperative, when the body is fastened on the wheeled support, and at such time the engaging means 27 is also'inoperative, and in this condition of the toy the wheels 10 are inoperative and are merely carried by the body as spare wheels.

Of course, the toy may be used without removing the box from the body 1 which is horizontal and which `forms the chassis of' the vehicle, and in that event the toy figure will appear to be propelling the vehicle with said box 6 in position to carry a. load of sand or the like therein and in rear of the figure, which latter has the torso 12 thereof in the plane of the box, and has the pivots 2O disposed in such position that the knees of the legs are always above the top of the body 1 forming the chassis of the vehicle, in the manner shown and described. Thus the toy has the appearance of a. truck for commercial purposes, for carrying a load of sand or other materials in the box thereof, and when the toy is pulled along the floor the little figure in front has the appearance of furnishing the power for propelling the vehicle with the box in the rear thereof in which a load of sand or other materials can be carried.

Of course, the toy can be used either with or without the boxy 6, as the latter can be left off, if so desired, and the toy can be pulled along' the floor by the pull connection 25 without having the box in position in rear of the figure, if it is desired to use the toy without the box or load carrier, but in either case the ligure has the appearance of both propelling and steering the figure.

lVhat I claim as my invention is- 1. In a. toy, the combination of (1) a wheeled support, (2) a body removably secured thereon, detachable therefrom to form a trailer therefor, and (3) instrumentalities including means' to form a draft connection and means whereby 'to support theV body on the floor, carried by the toy and adapted for converting said body into a trailer for said toy, when the body is removed from the wheeled support, so that the one and the same body can serve either as a carrier on the wheeled support, or as a trailer behind.

2. A structure as specifiedl in claim 1, said instrumentalities comprising connecting means for the front end of the body, means under thev body and on the support to engage said connecting` means, forming said draft connection, a couple of spare wheels forming part of said means to sup-` port the body on the floor, a screv7 for mounting said spare wheels on the rear end of the body, and a screw for attaching the body tothe wheeled support, said screws being removable and serving as axles for the spare wheels when the trailer is coupled to the rear end of the wheeled support, whereby the two screws are necessary in either condition of the toy.

A structure as specified in claim 1, said instrumentalities comprising a couple of screws inserted in the body, and a couple of spare wheels which utilize said screws as axles when the screws are removed and inserted in position to form the axles of the trailer, forming said means to support the body on the floor, said screws having other positions on the toy when not in use as axles.

4f. A structure as specified in claim 1, in combination with means at the front of said support to simulate propelling means for the toy, in either condition thereof, whereby said simulated propelling means are operative with said body either on the wheeled support, or behind as a trailer.

5. A structure as specified in claim 1, in combination with a. toy figure sitting on said support in front of said body and adapted to simulate propelling means for the toy, in either condition thereof, whereby said ligure is not disturbed by the use of said instruinentalities to form the trailer.

6. A` structure as specified in claim 1, said body having a front wheel, and means simulating propelling means for said wheel, operative with said body in either position thereof.

7. A pull toy comprising a horizontal rigid body, two wheels for the rear end of said body, a single wheel in a slot in the front end portion of said body, the axes of all said wheels being in fixed relation to each other, said body and wheels forming the chassis and running gear of a vehicle having a box mounted on the rear end of said body, between the rear wheels, a member forming the torso of a toy figure, said member fixed at its lower end on said body in front of said box, so that the torso is rigid with said vehicle` body, a head on said torso, cranks for said front wheel, a crank axle rigid with said cranks and wheel and extending transversely through said body, jointed legs having ,feet engaging said cranks at opposite sides of said slot, means forming a transverse pivot axis in the base of said torso, for said legs, so that the legs are spaced apart by the base of said torso, arms for said torso, and means attached to the forward end of said body for pulling said toy along the floor to cause said cranks to aetuate said legs, whereby the toy figure appears to be propelling the vehicle with said box in position to carry a load in rear thereof, the feet being movable up and down at opposite sides of the front end portion of the body.

8. A structure as specified in claim 7, the top of Isaid ybody being level,'so that the box and the torso are in the same plane, so that the knees of said legs are above the topot' said body, the attachment of the torso to the body being independent ot the pivots for the legs, so that with the legs taken ofi the torso would remain rigidly in place.

9. A structure as speciiied in claim 7, comprising an upright member lixed on said body and provided at its upper end with a cross piece serving as a support for and spacer between the hands of said arms, said body having a slot in front of said upright member for said -front wheel.

l0. A pull toy comprising a horizontal body, two wheels for the rear end of said body, a single wheel disposed in the front end portion ot said body, so that the front end extends forward of said :front wheel, said body and wheels forming the chassis and running gear of a vehicle, the axes of said wheels being in fixed relation to each other, a rigid member forming the torso of a toy figure ixed at its lower end on said body, so that the torso is rigid with said vehicle body, a head on said torso, a crank axle extending through the front end portion of said body and having cranks for rotating said front wheel, `jointed legs having feet engaging said cranks, means torming a transverse pivot axis in the base ot said torso, for said legs, so that the legs are spaced apart by the base ot said torso, arms for said torso, and means connected to said front end ahead of said front wheel for pulling said toy along the floor t0 cause said cranks to actuate said legs, whereby the toy igure appears to be propelling the vehicle, the feet being movable up and down at opposite sides of the front end portion yot the body.

11. A structure as specified in claim 10, in combination with a crosspiece serving as a spacer between the hands of said arms and an upright member rigid with said body and supporting said crosspiece, whereby the figure has the appearance of both propelling and steering the toy.

l2. A structure as speciied in claim l0, the lower sections of said legs being disposed at opposite sides of said body, and the upper sections being pivoted on the side of said torso so that the knees of the legs are higher than the top ot the body, and higher than the pivot ot the legs on the lower end of the torso, and means extending upward between the knees to support said arms in position, whereby the figure has the appearance of both propelling and steering the vehicle.

13. ln a toy, the combination ot (l) a wheeled support, (2) a body removably se-` cured thereon, and (3) instrumentalities carried by the toy and adapted by readj ustment thereof for converting said body into a trailer for said toy, when the body is removed from the wheeled support, so that the one and the same body can serve either as a carrier on the wheeled support, or as a trailer behind, said instrumentalities comprising connecting means for the front end ot the body, means under the body and on the support to engage said connecting means, a couple ot spare wheels, a screw for mounting said spare wheels on the rear end ont the body, and a screw for attaching the body to the wheeled support, said screws being removable and serving as axles for the spare wheels when the trailer is coupled to the rear end of the wheeled support, whereby the two screws are necessary in either condition ot' the toy.

l/l. In a toy, the combination of (l) a wheeled support, (2) a body removably secured thereon, and instrumentalities carried by the toy and adapted by readjustment thereof tor converting said body into a trailer for said toy, when the body is removed from the wheeled support, so that the one and the same body can serve either as a carrier on the wheeled support, or as a trailer behind, said instrumentalities comprising a couple of screws inserted in the body, and a couple of spare wheels which utilize said screws as axles when the screws are removed and inserted in position to form the axles or' the trailer, said screws having other positions on the toy when not in use as axles.

CLARENCE A. WETZELL. 

